Nicaragua, Central America

Nicaragua is a third-world country in Central America between Honduras and Costa Rica, it is also one of the poorest on the Western Hemisphere. I sought after researching more into the media of the country because I have gone down there twice and co-planned trips with the non-profit organization, Friends of Students for 60,000. Together we aided communities by building homes, providing economic and structural aid and supplies, and met with local community leaders, educators and students at Leon University and rural Nicaragua. I am interested to know more about the media, how it shaped the country politically and economically to its current state. And how the media differs from countries that are wealthy to third world status. I also want to investigate into the role of foreign influences and their use of their own media and Nicaragua media to shape public perception.

Despite, Nicaragua relying heavily on international aid to survive and half the population remaining below the poverty line, media still plays an intricate role in public perception. Most Nicaraguans cannot afford to send their kids to college and the illiteracy rate is still relatively high for adults. In poor rural areas the existence of media is not as prominent as in the urban setting but most communities have at least one television or a radio to tune into if they cannot afford a newspaper or computer with Internet access. So for most people their main form of education, news or awareness of their country/world is either from word of mouth, television, or radio. That gives the media huge power for manipulation and control over the country
and the minds that inhabit it.

Furthermore, Nicaraguan and United States politicians have been known to control the media and use it as a tool to promote their political friends or to defame their enemies in governmental advertisements. The United States under Reagan had a role in the country’s media; they stationed U.S. marines and used the media to promote democracy throughout the country against the communist supported Sandinista. A power struggle occurred to take control of the reigns of media and to dominate public opinion.

Most people leave Nicaragua after college (if they can afford) and go to either Costa Rica or Honduras hunting for jobs. Foreign countries for the most part financially support Nicaragua’s media and helped assist it in restructuring it. Which brings fright to Nicaraguans that their media is being transformed from their traditional ways to a more United States or European style. Nicaragua media jobs also don’t pay very well and are prone to corruption from outside influences or threats. However the country has tremendous potential as a future and current media hub in swaying the views of Latin and Central America and its own people.

Links: http://www.pressreference.com/Ma-No/Nicaragua.html